


Nocturne

by machka



Series: Schmoop Bingo - Love Story (Brookemann) [14]
Category: Real Person Fiction, Tulsa Gangstas
Genre: Community: schmoop_bingo, F/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-28
Updated: 2010-06-28
Packaged: 2017-10-20 03:46:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/208417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/machka/pseuds/machka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time.' - unknown</p><p>The mountains, a sunset, and hot cocoa from scratch - perfect ingredients for romance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nocturne

**Author's Note:**

> Co-authored by [cebhfhionnmabon](http://cebhfhionnmabon.livejournal.com/profile).
> 
> Written for the [schmoop_bingo](http://schmoop-bingo.livejournal.com/profile/) challenge, using the prompt "Hot Cocoa."
> 
> Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction. The events described therein are not intended to represent actual events. No libel or defamation is intended in posting said fictitious work.
> 
> In other words, it's not real, because we made it all up.

Neal measured the milk out carefully and poured it into the saucepan on the stove. Turning up the heat, he grabbed the sugar and cocoa powder from the box of supplies they'd brought along with them.

As the milk heated, he peered out the window at Brooke, seated on the cabin steps, watching the sun setting slowly behind the mountain in front of their little hideaway. He smiled slightly as she wrapped her arms around herself, and poked his head out the door.

"...Just put the milk on to heat, okay, love?" he called to her softly. "Do y'need a blanket, or somethin'...?"

Brooke leaned back and nodded. "Please... The temperature is dropping quick now that the sun is going down. Just throw it out to me."

"Be right back..." Neal headed quickly to the bedroom and stripped the heaviest blanket off of the bed. He grabbed a couple of cushions from the couch on the way past, and slipped out the front door. Draping the blanket around Brooke's shoulders, he set the cushions on the porch beside her. "Here," he whispered softly, kissing the top of her head. "I gotta get back in and check on the milk. I shall return..." he murmured, squeezing her shoulder lightly, and then headed back inside.

Brooke smiled and arranged the cushions so that she was sitting on one and the other was leaning back against the wall of the cabin. This trip had been a spur of the moment thing, before Neal went back on the road...and she couldn't be more thankful for it. The view was breathtaking, and all she wanted to do was sit and just look at the beauty all around them.

She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders, letting out a soft sigh as she felt the blanket's warmth start to seep into her chilled skin.

Neal headed back to the stove, noting that the milk was starting to steam slightly. He carefully measured out the sugar and the cocoa powder and dumped them in, stirring the mixture carefully as it slowly heated further. Just before it looked and sounded like it might boil, he shifted the pan off the burner and turned off the heat, letting the cocoa cool as he got out their big mugs.

Smiling, he dug through their box of provisions again, finding the cinnamon and nutmeg buried at the bottom. He set the small jars on the counter in front of the small marshmallows and headed to the fridge, pulling out the whipped cream and the Bailey's Irish cream.

He carefully doled out the hot cocoa into their mugs. He added a handful of marshmallows to each, and then poured a good shot's worth of Bailey's into his by eye. Smiling, he tapped a little cinnamon and nutmeg onto the surface of hers, and squirted a large cone of whipped cream on top, sprinkling more of the spices over it all.

"...Perfect..." he murmured, and picked up the mugs carefully, heading for the cabin door.

Brooke looked up when Neal carefully stepped out out the door, and her eyes lit up at the sight of the mugs. "Oh wow... You know, when you said you were going to make hot chocolate...I had no idea this is what you had in store for me," she whispered, reaching her hands out for the two mugs so that he could sit down beside her. "Come and snuggle with me under the blankets... The stars are starting to come out," she whispered softly.

Neal lifted the edge of the blanket and snuggled up beside her, taking his mug from her hand and wrapping his own around it. He took a small sip, feeling the combined warmth of the hot cocoa and the Bailey's seep into his body and slowly radiate outward.

He leaned his head against hers as the sky darkened slowly, and the sounds of the local nocturnal wildlife began to pick up. "I could almost stay here forever..." he murmured, looking up at the stars.

Brooke took a sip of the hot chocolate and moaned softly. "This is amazing..." she whispered, and then leaned over onto Neal's shoulder. "It's beautiful... I almost don't want to go inside." She turned to Neal. "I'll stay here forever with you."

Neal cocked his head to look into her eyes and smiled tenderly. "...Y'really mean that?" he asked softly.

Brooke set her cup down beside her, and turned back to Neal. She cupped his face and looked him in the eye. "I love you...and I'll go with you where ever you go."

"...I was hopin' you'd say that..." Neal whispered. Not breaking their eye contact, he set his mug down carefully beside him, and shifted very slightly, pulling something out of the pocket of his jeans.

"Can't think of a better time t'ask this, then..." he murmured, taking her left hand in his. "Ms. Brooke Elizabeth White... I love you, and I want you by my side for the rest of my life... Will you marry me?"

Brooke's breath caught in her throat, and her heart skipped a beat. Her hand was shaking as she raised it to her mouth, the tears starting to slip down her cheeks as she began nodding her head furiously. "Yes! Yes, yes, I'll marry you..." she whispered, and then leaned in, kissing Neal with everything she was feeling at that moment...how much love she had for him...everything.

Neal swallowed hard over the sudden lump in his throat as Brooke started to nod, and then wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her back, pouring his heart and soul into their kiss.

For her, the world and everything in it... For them, together, to the end.


End file.
